Weight Measurement in Ancient India
(Naarad Puraan, p 452)
8 Handfuls = 1 Kinchit
8 Kinchit = 1 Pushkal
4 Pushkal = 1 Aadhak
4 Aadhak = 1 Drone
For dry material
4 Drone = 1 Khaaree
4 Khaaree = 1 Prasth
(Naarad Puraan, p 452)
2 Pal = 1 Prasrit
2 Prasrit = 1 Kudav
4 Kudav = 1 Prasth = 12 double handfuls
4 Prasth = 1 Aadhak
For dry material
4 Aadhak = 1 Drone
4 Drone = 1 Khaaree
1 Kudav = 12 double handfuls
1 Prasth = 4 Kudav = 48 Double handful
Manu has
defined the measurement for gold like this -
Whatever dust
particles you see in the rays coming from a window in a room, among them
1 particle
(of dust) is called Tras-renu
8 Tras-renu = 1 Nishk
3 Nishk = 1 Mustard Seed (Raajsarshap)
3 Mustard Seeds = 1 Yellow Mustard Seed (Gaursarshap)
For gold
6 Yellow Mustard Seeds = 1 Yava (barley grain)
3 Yava = 1 Krishnal
5 Krishnal = 1 Maashaa
16 Maashaa = 1 Suvarn
Old Measurement of Weight in India
This system was
used in India before the introduction of Metric system, but up to Rattee, it is still in use
in talking language while talking about
jewelry - as people still ask a jeweler "How many Tolaa is this
necklace, or ring?" Then the jeweler will convert the presently used
metric weight, say 11 Gram, and will tell, "It is about one Tolaa."
Normally 1 Tolaa is equal to roughly 11 1/2 Gram.
8 Khaskhas (a grain
smaller than the size of mustard seed) = 1
Chaaval (rice grain)
8 Chaaval (rice grain) = 1 Rattee
8 Rattee = 1 Maashaa
See also Rattee
12 Maashaa = 1 Tolaa = 11 1/2 Gram
5 Tolaa = 1 Chhataank
4 Chhataank = 1 Paav
4 Paav = 1 Ser
40 Ser = 1 Mound (Man)
-----------------------------------------------------
Nowadays the gems are
weighed by carats, so it is necessary to know something about their weight
too.
(1) In Vaidik culture there are three types of Rattee - there is no carat.
(2) Telling a poor person to get a large gem of certain weight is nonsense
because they cannot afford such gem in Jyotish quality
(3) There is no method (Vidhi) of carat weights on gems in all the Ved.
So WHY is it an issue anyone cares about. When it is absurd!
The fact is that Rattee seed
grows in 3 basic sizes, none of which are a carat (0.20 gm). Accordingly
there are three Rattee weights given. But these days all gems are sold in
carat weight, which is not given in Shaastra. So to advise someone to use
gem of specific weight is nonsense and meaningless.
Small Rattee = 121 mg = 0.6 Ct Weight
Large Rattee = 181 mg = 0.9 Ct Weight
Normally 1 Carat = .20 gram
[From Sacred Objects Group]
Bhaar
Bhaar means weight and it is a type of measure to weigh dry things:
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 10/u7,
u28]
4 Vreehi (Dhaan, or Raw rice with husk) = 1 Gunjaa
5 Gunjaa = 1 Pan
8 Pan = 1 Dharan
8 Dharan = 1 Karsh
4 Karsh = 1 Pal
100 Pal = 1 Tulaa
20 Tulaa = 1 Bhaar
[Padm Puraan, 2/11]
Kudav = 32 Tolaa
(6 Chhataank and 2 Tolaa) - according to Aayur Ved.
Aadhak = a weight approximately 4 Ser
1 Pal = 8 Tolaa - according to Aayur Ved (at other places it is of 4 Tolaa)
The following table gives
the idea of things by which a body is made up of and how much
1 Kudav Pitta, = 32 Tolaa = 6 Chhataank and 2 Tolaa
1/2 Aadhak Kaph = 2 Ser
3 Pal Vasaa = 24 Tolaa
15 Pal Kalal = 120 Tolaa = 24 Chhataank = 1 and 1/2 Ser
1 Arbud (100 million) Pal air = 800 million Tolaa
10 Pal Med = 80 Tolaa = 1 Ser
3 Pal Mahaa Rakt = 24 Tolaa
12 Pal Majjaa = 96 Tolaa = approx 19 Chhataank
1/2 Kudav semen = 32 Tolaa
1/4 Kudav strength = 16 Tolaa
1,000 Pal flesh, = 8,000
Tolaa = 1,600 Chhataank = 100 Ser; and
100 Pal blood = 800 Tolaa = 10 Ser
[100 Ser flesh seems to be
a wrong figure, maybe they have taken Pal = 4 Tolaa; which seems a bit logical]
5 Gunjaa or Rattee = 1 Maashaa
16 Maashaa = 1 Suvarn
4 Suvarn = 1 Pal
100 Pal = 1 Tulaa
20 Tulaa = 1 Bhaar
4 Aadhak (64 Pal) = 1 Drone
[Agni Puraan, 24]
1 Pal = 4 Tolaa
[From Agni Puraan, p 568]